From This Day Forward: Commitment, Marriage, and Family in Lesbian and Gay Relationships

At a time when the gay and lesbian community is transforming itself from a community many once conceived of as composed of singles to a community increasingly composed of families with and without children, Gretchen Stiers finds a surprising viewpoint. Lesbian women and gay men who advocate inclusion in the institutions of marriage and family both accept and resist traditional conceptions of marriage and family life, providing another variation of what it really means to be a family.

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Gay & Lesbian Marriage & Family Reader: Analyses of Problems & Prospects for the 21st Century

This collection of essays takes a look at the legal and social aspects of gay and lesbian life, including marriage, children and adoption procedures, divorces, extended family relations, prejudices, life choices, and therapy. The book posits itself as a consequence of the newfound publicity and tolerance regarding homosexuality, which has allowed more gays to come out of the closet and justifiably demand equal rights to those of heterosexual couples, with many heterosexuals and family members rallying in support. These essays cover a wide range of legal territory in all 50 states, making it essential reading for those facing legal obstacles in pursuit of their personal sexual freedom. In addition to legal aspects, there are insightful psychological pieces dealing with growing up with same sex parents, family therapy issues, child custody battles, and how to promote empathy and understanding.

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Lesbian and Gay Marriage: Private Commitments, Public Ceremonies

This collection of personal narratives explores the hotly debated issue of same-sex marriages. The twenty-four interviews with lesbians and gays who have celebrated wedding ceremonies as well as couples who remain unmarried or choose not to marry reveal the qualities that bind people in lifetime partnerships as well as the everyday tensions of committed relationships. Most of the interviews are accompanied by personal snapshots. The couples come from many regions of the United States and from diverse ethnic and class backgrounds. These intimately described relationships are as new as three years and as enduring as thirty-eight. Each dialogue grapples with the reactions of family and friends to the couple's commitment and the everyday struggles of their own relationship. The interviews are preceded by essays by Thomas Stoddard and Paula Ettelbrick that offer opposing viewpoints on marriage. The book closes with a section of personal observations by ceremony officiators from a variety of religions—from Catholic priests to a Wiccan high priestess—and a resource directory.

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My Lesbian Husband: Landscapes of a Marriage

"In language as charged as the air between lovers, Barrie Jean Borich offers us a gorgeous and tender aria to marriage. She tells of discovering with astonishment, through twelve years of devotion to the same sturdy woman, how much she delights in fidelity. She tells of slowly weaving her unsanctioned love into the fabric of her family, in among brothers and sisters-in-law, among nieces and nephews and wary parents. She describes the alchemy of turning a house into a home. Through it all, she writes like a woman possessed-- enraptured by the sensual pleasures of words, by the power of stories, by the gravity of neighborhood. She reminds us that marriage is made not by the joining of bodies shaped a certain way, but by the joining of two lives, careers, and histories in one place, in one embrace."
Scott Russell Sanders

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Parted Lips: Lesbian Love Quotes Through the Ages

Have you ever had one of those moments when the time was right to lean over and whisper the perfect tender something into your lovers ear, but your mind went blank? Have you ever searched for a gift that would express the exact way you felt about your love but come home empty-handed? Never again. In this collection of love quotes from the seventh century B.C. to the present are more than 250 timeless passages from poetry, drama, film, books, and other sources covering desire, love, fidelity, infidelity, heartbreak, temptation, passion, and seduction. Illustrated throughout with heartwarming romantic photographs, this volume is an indispensable bedside companionthe perfect romantic gift for any occasion.Simone Rich lives in New York City. This is her first book.

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The Intimacy Dance: A Guide to Long-Term Success in Gay and Lesbian Relationships

The author of the now-classic Permanent Partners presents a helpful, compassionate, and wise guide for lesbian and gay couples as their relationships mature. A leading authority on strengthening gay and lesbian partnerships, Dr. Berzon provides the soundest and most realistic advice for any couple interested in a stable and rewarding life together.

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The Long Arc Of Justice: Lesbian And Gay Marriage, Equality, and Rights

Engaging the whole spectrum of public-policy issues affecting gays and lesbians from a humanistic and philosophical approach, Richard Mohr assesses the logic and ethics of gay rights. Focusing on ideas and values, Mohr's case for legal and social acceptance applies widely held ethical principles to same-sex marriage, AIDS, and gays in the military. By drawing on cultural-, legal-, and ethical-based arguments, he reveals the ways in which the struggle for gay rights and acceptance relates to mainstream American society, history, and political life.

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We do: A Celebration of Gay and Lesbian Marriage

First comes love, then comes marriage -- unless, of course, you're gay. But when San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom, ordered City Hall to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on February 12th, thousands of gays and lesbians from around the world lined up to take their vows, inspiring other cities to follow suit. As intense public debate continues, We Do is an intimate portrait of these history-making weddings. A many-splendored thing, love is captured here in all its joy and diversity. Drawing on ceremonies from around the country, here are weddings both traditional and unconventional, whether the brides and grooms are in flowing white gowns, business suits, or blue jeans. The result is a touching album of happy couples, from the two lesbians who've been together 51 years to dads with babes in arms. A joyful celebration, We Do stands witness to the fact that we are all created equal in love.

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Gay and Lesbian Weddings: Planning the Perfect Same-Sex Ceremony

From invitations to tuxes, homophobia to honeymooning, rituals to rabbis, this guide covers everything the gay bride- and groom-to-be could possibly need to know to plan the perfect dream wedding.

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The Complete Guide To Gay And Lesbian Weddings

Your wedding team is here! Let GayWeddings.com help you and your partner plan a ceremony that suits your taste and budget without losing your mind in the process. The absolute authority for same-sex unions on the web, K.C. David and his devoted staff of experts are at your side from the proposal to the honeymoon.

• Marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership: protecting your rights and assets together
• Finding gay-friendly venues, caterers, and yes, even clergy
• Tips for notifying friends and family, and which newspapers run same-sex announcements
• Ideas from folks who have already tied the knot
  

PLUS: A wedding timeline checklist, vow writing exercise, sample menus, budget worksheet and more.

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The Essential Guide to Lesbian and Gay Weddings

Proponents of legalizing gay and lesbian marriages increasingly target municipal, state, and federal lawmakers. John Boswell's Same Sex Unions in Pre-modern Europe , documenting such marriages in antiquity, has climbed onto local best-seller lists. Ayers and Brown take a why-wait attitude and rework traditional wedding-planning etiquette to fit the reality of the increasing number of gay and lesbian commitment ceremonies taking place almost daily, admittedly without the legal recognition accorded male-female unions. Their book's three sections deal with the decision-making process, wedding logistics, and actual step-by-step planning, for which they provide checklists to carry a couple through the big event. Along with such practical matters as the rules for wedding gifts and what a photographer provides, Ayers and Brown deal with such fine points for gays and lesbians as considering what to call him or her (bride? groom? hmmm.), gender-bending wedding fashions, alternative invitations, and whether and how to change one's name. Timely, informative, and entertaining. Marie Kuda

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